Group Rallies To Save Brooklyn Public School
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Parents, teachers and the city's Public Advocate rallied Thursday to save a Brooklyn school.
They gathered outside the Department of Education's headquarters, calling on the city to keep PS 114 open.
Supporters say the Canarsie school has a solid track record, but is on the chopping block because of just one year of bad scores.
They say the poor performance is due to a former principal who they say mismanaged funds and that the DOE ignored pleas to remove her.
"We were dealt the worst hand because it was a DOE fault that we're in this position," said PS 114 Teacher Ellen Berkowitz.
"I'm not gonna give up, the parents are not gonna give up, the teachers are not gonna give up. Because the school doesn't deserve it," said PS 114 Parent Michael Hall.
"The Department of Education has been unwilling to, ya know, to employ that approach and say, Okay, we're gonna give the school another chance.' They've been just adamant it must close. And I think that's a huge mistake and I think that sends a horrible message to parents all over the city," said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.
The Panel for Educational Policy will decide the school's fate on March 1st.
A spokesperson for the DOE says the department understands the concerns, but the decision is ultimately about providing the best possible education for the students moving forward.